Remember
by Angry Scotsman
Summary: Many years later, Malon still dwells on the past. A short set in the future of OoT. Fits between my two other stories I suppose. If you enjoy the story, please leave me a short comment to let me know!


**Been a while, chaps. Here's a short that was kicking around in my head for a while. It really is a short, but looking at it I guess it sits nicely between my other stories.  
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><p>Malon eased the door shut behind her, closing out the sounds of the outside world. Their room seemed smaller than usual, stuffy and claustrophobic. Always the same on this day. She threw the curtains back to let the afternoon light in, but it did nothing for her thoughts. Sinking onto the bed, her hand went automatically to the floor and found the smooth edges of the box underneath. She raised it slowly to her lap and gently blew the thin layer of dust from the lid so she could see the plain wood beneath.<p>

She gazed through the wood for a long time. Finally, her hands quickly opened the lid and sifted through the contents absent mindedly. She knew them by heart and her mind wandered even as her hand automatically sorted through them. Dust drifted in the sunlight. Far off, the sound of children shouting happily filtered through the window only to be deadened by the still air. Lost in thought, Malon failed to notice the man easing through the door and shutting it softly behind him.

'Hey'

She started at the sound of his voice, her head whipped round to see him perched next to her on the bed, and she relaxed.

'Don't sneak up on me like that, you know I hate it.'

'It wasn't hard, I could have run the horses under the bed and you might not have realised.' He put his arm around her waist and leant his head on her shoulder to look innocently up at her, and she smiled.

'Sorry. Been a long day.' She reached up to stroke the side of his head, winding her fingers into his thick black curls.

The man said nothing. He had always been curious about the contents of the small wooden box, but had respected his wife's privacy. Now she made no effort to close it, and he felt a little disappointed as he looked over what it held. A few random household objects, some pieces of old paper, a scrap of torn green cloth, and, oddly, a pressed flower, one of the same white ones that grew thickly on the fields outside the ranch. He felt like asking would be crossing some kind of boundary, but she could tell he was curious and spoke first.

'It's just stuff. Nothing important.' She unfolded the paper she had been holding when he came in, and smoothed it out for him. He took it to peer closer at the sketch, lightly but confidently done, slightly smudged in places but still clear. Two figures smiled back at him, one a younger version of his own wife, looking tired but happy and full of life as always, with her arm round the shoulder of the second figure. This young man wasn't instantly recognisable, but the details added up with the stories he had heard so often, the shy smile, ill fitting hat, ragged tunic and legendary sword all gave away his identity. His arm was in a sling and he looked exhausted, but the same happiness and life lit his features. They were standing amid vaguely pencilled figures that suggested a busy crowd, and a rough depiction of a shattered fountain placed them in the barely recognisable castle town square. He looked the picture over carefully, marvelling at the skill of the artist.

'I didn't know you knew him.' She gave a half smile.

'A little. A lot of people had a drawing done with him that day, he was quite the center of attention. Just a keepsake for those of us who were there, really.'

'What was he like?'

'I know you weren't here, but surely you heard.'

'Only the official version, and that seems to change every year.'

She was silent for a while.

'Well, he wasn't as confident as you might have been told. I doubt anyone knew him very well, to be honest.'

She took the sketch back and glared slightly at the telltale spots where liquid had once been spilled.

'Go and drag the kids back in, we have to get them presentable, and I've got to get dressed.'

He turned at the door to see her carelessly stuffing the paper back into the box and almost slamming the lid. She smiled reassuringly as she caught his raised brow.

'Go on, or we'll be late. Don't worry about this, I told you. It's just old stuff.'

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><p>Malon forced a smile as she chivvied her children up the wide avenue to the castle. The smallest was being carried, but the other two chased each other gleefully through the torchlight, ignoring her for the most part. The evening always passed in a haze for her, she never wanted to be there but couldn't bear to deny her family the biggest celebration of the year.<p>

As they joined the crowd inside the courtyard her attention was needed less, so she withdrew slightly into her thoughts. People waved and shouted greetings, exclaimed how much the kids had grown, how well they were looking, and she replied on automatic, nodding and smiling at everyone she came across. Naturally everyone in the kingdom was present, the day combined traditional harvest day feast and celebration with the anniversary of the destruction of the Evil King and rebuilding of Hyrule. It came with an open feast, all night dancing, drinking, song and celebration, and Malon was the only person in the world who dreaded it.

As the castle and its surroundings were packed with people, it was hard to be alone with her for a moment. She drifted, picking at food, exchanging small talk, politely turning down dances, never staying still. She caught a glimpse of Queen Zelda, tall and regal yet incredibly approachable, chatting amiabley with everyone she came across. Zelda brought up memories too on this day, and she wandered away into the castle hall. An hour passed, then two, and Malon found that things were starting to blur together. She was too hot, there were too many candles, too many thoughts needing their annual dredging up. She continued to explore, heading up and away from the noise of the feasts, and found a quiet balcony overlooking the gardens. The carefully tended fauna below was nowhere near as crowded and noisy as the hall, and the cool night breeze was refreshing.

'Mind if I join you?'

She was startled back to reality for the second time that day, and glanced round to find Zelda looking at her with the smallest amount of concern visible on her face.

'Feel free.'

Zelda leant on the balcony next to her, and they gazed out into the night in companionable silence. Malon felt reassured by her presence, and in truth had half been expecting her at some point. She considered the queen a friend. On that day, long ago, they had met for the first time, and while she had at first resented the older woman for being effortlessly beautiful and charming, the feeling had mellowed and, when Malon went to town, the queen had always found time for a conversation and they had grown to enjoy each others company.

'Fifteen years.'

Malon glanced at the other woman as she spoke, but said nothing.

'I can hardly believe it. It still feels like yesterday to me.'

Malon stayed silent. When they sometimes met on this day, they never spoke, preferring the simple presence of someone else who understood.

'How are you feeling?'

At this incredibly small piece of small talk, the farm girl couldn't help but smile. She looked at the ground to collect her thoughts.

'Fine.'

'Rubbish. You always look miserable at the feast, but this year you're making a special effort.' Silence. 'I do worry about you, you know.'

Malon glanced at her. Zelda was still gazing innocently into the night, but there had been a note of genuine concern in her voice. Maybe it would be good to talk about it for once.

'You shouldn't. I'm fine, really. It's just... this day always brings back the memories. I can close my eyes and feel like I'm there, I can smell the air, feel the wind, hear the people.. and then I feel all the pain all over again. I just.. It's been fifteen years, I'm over it, it's done, I dealt with it long ago, and then every year this stupid date comes round and I get dragged back to being a child again.' She stared at her fingers, winding aimlessly round each other.

'And for that, I can't help but hate him.'

Zelda looked sadly at her friend, wondering how twisted up the inside of her head must feel.

'Did he ever tell you why he left?'

'Hah. He told me the same thing he told you, something about seals and swords and goddesses. The worst part is, I don't even remember. It got kind of.. pushed aside.'

The corner of her eye glistened for s econd, and Zelda was moved to put her arm gently round the younger woman. Malon seemed to think about it, then slowly leant her head on her friend's shoulder and sighed.

They stood in silence again, taking strength from each other the way they had done years ago, when losing him had devastated both of them. Zelda had been counting on the young man she had guided through hell to help rebuild her shattered kingdom, and to simply be there, as another survivor of the worst parts of the dark days. When he had left her to face those memories alone, she had almost fallen apart. As for Malon... she couldn't imagine how the young farm girl had felt. It was a wonder she had learnt to trust anyone again.

Malon's head lifted and she smiled slightly as the sound of children laughing drifted up from the garden. She leant forward on the balcony again to search the paths below. A smile lit her face and Zelda followed her gaze to the dim shape of Malon's husband chasing their children through the hedges. She sometimes felt guilty for treating the man coolly on the few ocassions they had met, but then, she had her reasons.

Malon caught the look on her face. 'I told you, I'm happy now. I got on with my life, and I wouldn't give it up for the world. It's just today that I get all.. messed up inside.' She gazed down at her husband swinging their eldest into the air. 'I don't regret anything, Zelda. Not a single thing. I don't think dad understood, he was never very subtle at the best of times, and even at the wedding he didn't seem to see that I could be happy with someone else. I wish I'd had the chance to explain things to him.' She sighed again. 'I should be going, it's probably past their bedtime.. I'm sorry to just drop all of this on you, but if there's anyone who would understand, it would be you.'

Zelda smiled and dropped her arm. 'It's fine, it's nice to hear you actually talk about it for once. Usually I just don't know what to say.' She moved back down the corridor towards the faint sounds of the feast. She paused by the top of the stairs, feeling awful, but she just had to ask.

'Malon..'

'Mm?'

'You don't really hate him, do you?'

A long pause, then finally she replied, barely above a whisper.

'Never.'

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><p>Malon smiled as she stroked her son's head. He stumped along sleepily next to her as they made their way down the path back to the ranch. It was a clear, warm night and they walked in silence, gazing at the stars flooding the sky. Her husband had their youngest asleep on his shoulders, and from time to time they would glance at each other and exchange a smile. Malon felt her thoughts returning to normal, her mood clearing, but still something was missing. Maybe it had been so long, maybe it was finally sharing some of her feelings with Zelda, but she felt as though maybe, for the first time, she should do something for her own peace of mind.<p>

As they neared the ranch she hesitated for a second. 'Can you get them to bed alright?'

'Of course, what's wrong?'

'Nothing, I just... there's something I feel like I should do.'

He smiled at her and she took comfort from the absolute trust in his eyes. 'I'll see you in a bit then, don't be too long.'

'Thanks.'

She wandered up the hill, watching them idly until they passed through the gate to their home. Her feet took her onwards, boots swishing quietly in the grass, until she reached a small rise covered in tiny white flowers.

And here, without even thinking about it, she began to sing.

A wordless tune, one barely remembered from childhood, a tune full of melancholy and hope and despair all mixed up together. Her voice was as clear and strong as ever, and it picked up in volume as she poured more of her feelings into the night. She closed her eyes, allowing all the repressed memories and pain and joy to come to the surface at last, some threatening to choke her with sadness, others filling her heart with warmth. She kept singing despite the raging emotions inside her, and the wind seemed to almost respond to her voice, whirling around the hill, disturbing the little flowers she slowly paced around, lifting their petals into the air and tumbling them around her body until she was surrounded by flowers that floated as silently as snow. Still she sang, undisturbed by the wind, pouring music into the air from the very bottom of her mind, and the song flew from her, carried on the wind, roaring into the distance even as the sound died out, whirling on into the sky. Far beyond Hyrule it flew, through the night, past forests and swamps and clouds, through the rain, through the very rock of an ancient mountain pass, crossing cities and deserts and fields to pass the ragged edge of a mountainside, grim in the dawn light. In the rocks below, a man blinked as a shiver ran through him, and he gazed into the sky, beset by memories as sharp and clear as crystal, of a home he hadn't seen in a lifetime. He closed his eyes for a moment, and his fingers went automatically to a piece of faded yellow cloth tied tightly round his arm.

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><p>Slowly, slowly the music slowed, slowly the heat in her body seemed to die down, slowly the memories settled again in her head until, on the very last note, she choked slightly on tears from long ago. She stood for a while in the rising wind, piecing herself back together until she felt strong enough to open her eyes. The night seemed silent after her song, and she smiled as she watched the last of the petals swirl into the distance and vanish.<p>

'Good night.'

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><p><strong>For anyone wondering, I had this on loop while writing that last part: UrKjQx0_ZWk**

**It's pretty close to what I had in mind.**


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